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work full time. However, in summer 2015, Kate was honored with a Health
Care Stars Award, a statewide healthcare professional awards recognition
program sponsored by American Sentinel University and the Colorado
Hospital Association (CHA). At the awards banquet, Kate received a
surprise that totally changed her plans.
A full scholarship

American Sentinel had entered the 12 recipients of the Health Care Stars
Award into a drawing for a full-tuition scholarship and Kate was the lucky
winner. “It was an amazing opportunity that I just couldn’t pass up,” she
says. “I felt like it was the universe steering me in a direction. I researched
the university and liked the eight-week courses, the curriculum, and
everything I saw.” Kate enrolled at American Sentinel in June 2016.

Growing as a nurse

Kate is pursuing the MSN, nursing management and organizational
leadership track because of her involvement in shared governance at
Valley View Hospital. “I’ve assumed a leadership role with that and it’s
been the best experience of my professional career,” she says. “It really
lends itself to the organizational leadership track. We talk a lot about our
obligations as nurses to the profession as a whole.”
Now five classes into her MSN program, Kate says she has already seen
the benefits that the program will have on her practice and career. “I want
this MSN so I can be a better nurse,” she says. “I think I’ll be better able to
understand changes in healthcare going forward. For my long-term career,
it’s important to stay current and keep up with the profession. For all those
reasons, pursuing the MSN is the right thing to do.”

www.americansentinel.edu

6 | Transforming Healthcare Through Education